Gather Ye Rosebuds
by persephone2
Summary: This story is a sequel to Riding In Cars With Boys, so you should read that one first. The title comes from an episode where Donna said to Josh: "Gather Ye Rosebuds" and I've had in mind for a fic title ever since. Hope you like it!!


Josh has a date tonight and I'm not at all happy about it. And the worst part is he won't shut up about it. Every time I go in his office he offers up another piece of information about what he's going to do on this special date. It's like he's taunting me. Oh, okay, I know. I've kind of done that with him in the past just to test him, to see if he's jealous. There were times when I thought he was. Especially that thing about Jack and what he was *going* to wear to the Inaugural Ball last night. I think that one really got to him.   
  
I've decided I'm not speaking to him unless it's something about work and can't be avoided. I'm giving him the icy, silent treatment. And I *know* he hates it when I do that.   
  
"Come on, Donna, talk to me. It drives me crazy when you won't talk to me."   
  
"I'll only talk to you if you stop talking to me about your date tonight."   
  
Ignoring my pleas, he continues. "But I'm excited about it. I wanna talk about it. She's really great. Smart, too. Probably the smartest woman I've ever met. Oh, and she's beautiful, too. Did I mention that?"   
  
"Shall I start keeping a tally?" My voice is intentionally sarcastic.   
  
He looks up at me and I swear his eyes are twinkling. "Yea. Good idea. So anyway, I'm giving her red roses. I mean, all women like red roses don't they?" I drop the folders I'm carrying on his desk and turn to leave the office. "Donna wait."   
  
I turn back to him. "What?"   
  
"You're really cute when you're mad."   
  
I let out a frustrating scream and leave his office. From behind me I hear him say, "I'm just saying..."   
  
I can't figure out why he's doing this to me. I thought we'd made some progress after he and his gang of hoodlums came to get me last night to go to the ball. I thought something important had happened in the cab and at the ball. I'm guessing I misread all of Josh's actions, words and innuendoes. And can I just say it saddens me beyond words.   
  
It's later, nearly 8:00. Josh is still in his office. I'm guessing his new little playmate is going to be none too happy that he's late. I'm praying for it in fact. So, I'm sitting at my desk, wondering how I could go from feeling so elated last night when Josh threw me that little bone by telling me I looked amazing to this feeling of utter despair. I should have known he really was just sucking up. I hear my name from behind. "Donna Moss?"   
  
"Yes?" I turn around to see a messenger, carrying the most beautiful bouquet of red roses I've ever seen. "For me?"   
  
He nods, and I hand him a few dollars from my drawer and take the roses, my heart pounding a little with anticipation as I wonder who they're from. Just as I start to open the envelope it hits me, and I'm furious. I march into Josh's office and throw them on the desk.   
  
"Hey!! Be careful with those."   
  
"You owe me $2.00. I can't believe that after regaling me with all the sordid details of your date tonight, which frankly I didn't really want to hear that you've stooped to this. You have her flowers delivered to me. TO ME!!   
What the hell are you thinking, Josh?"   
  
Josh looks amused. I want to kill him. "Finished?"   
  
"Oh, I haven't even begun yet. Let me tell you, this is the lowest you've ever gone, and I have to admit you've gone pretty low in the past. But this takes the cake. Takes the cake, Josh Lyman. "   
  
"You're still angry."   
  
"How do I respond to that? Oh, I know. I'll use one of your favorite phrases....YA THINK??????"   
  
"Donna, close the door."   
  
I head for the door and start to leave. I made the mistake once of closing the door BEFORE leaving. You can bet I won't make that mistake again. I turn to say, "Just remember, I'm not finished with you yet. Not even close."   
  
I start to leave. His voice is softer when he speaks again. "Donna, with you inside."   
  
I look at him, questioningly. "I'm sorry?"   
  
"Just close the door. With you inside. Please?"   
  
"Whatever." I close the door and turn to look at him, arms folded across my chest. He picks up the roses and gets up from his desk and starts toward me. I put up my hand to stop him. "Don't even think about asking me to find something to put those in, Josh. Do. Not. Even. Think. About. It." He continues to approach me and hands me the card from the roses. "Now you want me to read the card? You have lost your mind, Josh. I do NOT want to read the card."   
  
"Humor me. Please?"   
  
As I start to open the envelope I'm actually shaking, feeling sick. I feel tears stinging my eyes. Damn. I don't want to get all emotional now. I just want to get this over with. "I can't believe you're making me do this." My voice cracks as I glance at the card then back at him. "Josh, please, I don't want to read your mushy card to another woman."   
  
He's actually grinning, looking way too proud of himself for my liking. "Read."   
  
So I read aloud in a very sarcastic voice. "For my beautiful and spirited Donnatella. Love Josh." Beautiful and spirited. Whatever. Now I really do feel sick, the nausea coming in waves. "Sweet Josh, that's very sweet...." And then it registers, but I have to read it again to be sure. "Oh, God." I look up at him, finally, my face flaming, the tears flowing freely now. "Josh. I don't know what to say..."   
  
He lays the roses back on the desk and approaches me. "Don't say anything. In fact, if you say another word...."   
  
"But, Josh, I...I..."   
  
"Be quiet, Donna..." And with that I feel his lips on mine, soft, tender and sweeter than anything I've ever tasted in my life. I feel myself sinking, and my knees threaten to give out from under me. He was talking about me all along. So he tortured me all day by talking about *me* and making me think he was taking someone else out on a date. Suddenly I pull away from him and start hitting him in the chest with both fists.   
  
He jumps back. "Ow!!"   
  
"Joshua Lyman. You are the meanest person I've ever known."   
  
He laughs. "It was fun to watch your reactions. Really fun. Maybe a little sadistic, I admit, but fun nonetheless. I kinda thought you might catch on after a while."   
  
"I was too hurt to catch on. I mean, you know, after last night, it just seemed..."   
  
He puts his hands at my waist, pulling me close to him, his voice all soft and intimate. "I know. Donna, I'm sorry. I really am."   
  
"No you're not. You enjoyed every minute of it."   
  
"Okay, I did. But it doesn't change the fact that you're the only woman I want to go out with. In fact, you're the only woman I've ever really wanted to go out with."   
  
"Well, it certainly took you long enough to figure it out."   
  
"Au contrare, I figured it out a long time ago. A very, very, very long time ago. I just never got the nerve to ask until today."   
  
"What was different about today?"   
  
"Well it wasn't really today. It was last night. It was the way you looked in that dress and the look on your face when you thought I was going to really yell at you for what you did. I think you were afraid we'd lost everything. It was the way you felt when you were sitting on my lap, the way you didn't pull away when I put my arms around you, and you put your hand over mine inside my coat."   
  
I look down. "That was very, um...."   
  
"Seductive?"   
  
My face flames, but I nod. "Seductive is a good word."   
  
"I actually have a few more seductive tricks up my sleeve."   
  
"I'll just bet you do."   
  
"Wanna find out?"   
  
I smile. "I do. Just tell me where and when."   
  
"How about right here, right now?"   
  
I feign shock, but honestly, the thought of it thrills me beyond words. "In your office? Josh, what if someone walks in on us?"   
  
"They'd get quite a show no doubt. And hey, a lot of clandestine liaisons have gone on behind the closed doors of the White House. But you're right, not such a good idea. Even though I've had lots of, um, daydreams about you and me in this office."   
  
"Oh? Do tell."   
  
He puts his hands on either side of my face and draws me in for another kiss. A kiss to rival all the kisses I've ever had in my life. A kiss like no other. A kiss fraught with tenderness and desperation and incredible need all at once. My goodness. This day has certainly taken on a different tone.   
  
Against my lips he breathlessly whispers, "I'm not so much with the telling, Donnatella. I'm all about the showing."   
  
I look at him. Those twinkling eyes again. "I'm not over being mad at you, you know. But I've been waiting four years for this." I motion toward his desk. "So you'd better gather ye rosebuds, Joshua Lyman, and take me someplace where you can show me what you've got."   
  
The end. 


End file.
